Page 26 of Kane (Ghost Ops #4)
Chapter Eighteen
“Hey,” Kane said, poking his head into the store area. “Got the security system in. I can install it for you after work.”
Daphne’s heart skipped. She wanted the security, but she also didn’t want to go back to her place just yet. The farmhouse felt safe, despite Kane’s presence next door to the guest room. The only thing dangerous there was her attraction to him.
“Great. Thanks.”
Kane stepped through the door and walked over to hitch a leg up, half-sit on her desk. “I’m just installing it, Sunshine. You don’t have to go back yet. There’s no rush.”
She leaned back in her chair to look up at him.
A curl of dark hair fell over his brow and he shoved it back, then reached for one of the peppermints she kept in a jar on her desk and popped it into his mouth.
She imagined him sucking her nipples the way he sucked that lucky peppermint and her mind turned to jelly.
Not only that, but the floodgates of bodily responses opened and her panties grew damp.
“I don’t want to impose,” she said, her voice sounding a bit warbly to her own ears.
“You aren’t imposing. It’s a guest room. The bed and TV are there, the bathroom situation works because Ethan and I are men and don’t need six kinds of body lotion to moisturize with?—”
“What? I do not have six kinds of body lotion, Kane. You’re making that up.”
He grinned. “Yep, totally. But I like it when your eyes flash and you look indignant.”
She frowned. “Why would you like that? Means I’m annoyed.”
“Dunno. Just think you’re beautiful when you’re annoyed.”
She tilted her head to one side. “Are you okay? Because I’m beginning to think that bacon really did a number on you. Or maybe it’s the pulled pork because you are not acting like yourself at the moment.”
He shook his head. “You know, most women say thank you when I tell them they’re beautiful. You wonder if I’m okay.”
She fished out a peppermint of her own, because she needed something to do, and slipped it into her mouth. “Because you don’t talk to me that way. This is a new development.”
He picked up another peppermint and tossed it in the air, caught it. “Yeah, well you kind of forced that shift in perspective when you accosted me in the gym a few mornings ago.”
“I did not accost you. You were being a dick.”
“I seem to remember there was a discussion about dicks.” He tossed the peppermint again. “Sorry if I pissed you off at lunch, by the way.”
“You didn’t. I was surprised at the way you did it, that’s all.”
“You were about to cry. I couldn’t let that happen.”
He’d noticed? “I was not about to cry. It was a hair in my eye.”
“Yeah, you were. You were as surprised as the rest of us that Seth attempted small talk with a customer, which we all know he hates. And he did it because of you. Because you’re one of us and he wanted to help you. That got you in the feels.”
Daphne folded her arms over her chest. “Okay, fine, yes. I was feeling teary. But I’m not a little girl and I can regulate my emotions. I just needed a second.”
“Which I gave you by introducing the topic of you being a badass.”
“Wait, I thought you were apologizing. Now you sound like you want a pat on the back.”
“I’m complicated.”
Daphne snorted. “You are not.”
He grinned and her heart thumped. “You’re right, I’m not. Mostly not. Just give me good food, hot sex, and plenty of sleep. I’m a happy man.”
“Noted,” she said while things south of the border did a spicy dance. “Though I’m going to assume you didn’t mean me for the hot sex portion.”
He managed to look horrified for half a second. Which was sooo not good for her ego.
“No, of course not. We’re friends. You don’t fuck around with friends if you want to stay friends.”
Disappointment flared inside her. “Probably a good policy. Though sometimes being friends first makes things better.”
His gaze sharpened. “You speaking from experience?”
“I’m speaking from romance novels.”
He seemed to relax a fraction. “Got it.” He tossed the peppermint up again, caught it with his mouth. “So you still planning to stay with me and Ethan or what?”
She thought about going home. It’d be easier to mope around her apartment with a hankering for Kane than it would be to stay in the same house, wanting what he clearly did not. It’d also be slightly wicked to take care of herself with him next door. Fun, even.
Which had nothing to do with her answer.
“Staying tonight, but I should probably go home soon. Y’all don’t need me taking up your space any longer than necessary. Plus you’ll want to free up your schedule.”
“My schedule?”
“For all that hot sex you need. Probably be awkward making somebody scream with me next door.”
His jaw worked. The buoyant mood of a moment ago was gone, replaced by something a shade more irritated. “I’m fine. There is no schedule.”
“Maybe there should be, because you look awfully tense right about now. How long’s it been since you got laid?”
His eyes widened. “I’m not discussing that with you. What the fuck, Daphne?”
“Hey, friends talk about things. I’m being friendly here. Concerned. You seem tense and I’m thinking maybe you need a good orgasm or two. I could be wrong. Maybe it’s just constipation. Might want to lay off the fatty foods and get some fiber in that case.”
He opened his mouth. Closed it. Then he stood. “You know what? I better get back to work. Things to do. We’ll touch base on the installation later.”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks for the peppermint.”
“You bet. I’m putting fiber pills on the shopping list for the break room, by the way. Anything else you can think of?”
She was having too much fun, but the look on his face just made her want to keep going. She blinked at him innocently, pen poised over the notepad beside her keyboard.
“No. And I don’t need fiber pills.”
“Hey, no shame. Old men like you need to regulate their gut health. I read about it somewhere. When I wasn’t reading about how to get a man to marry me or make my youthful skin glow, I mean.”
“I’m outta here.”
“Kane?” she said before he could reach the exit.
He stopped and turned, hands shoved in his jean pockets. Made his arms look bigger and unbearably sexy.
Focus, Daphne.
“Yeah?” he grumbled.
“As your friend, I need to tell you something. Are you listening?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Good. On behalf of womankind everywhere, you really need to know that not every woman you meet needs or wants a commitment from you. Women are capable of hot, dirty sex for the sake of sex just as much as you are. Sometimes all we want is a really good orgasm. Remember that the next time you’re worried about some pretty little filly getting too attached, okay? ”
He swore, probably more to himself than her, and disappeared down the hallway.
Daphne snickered.